When planning your year, we always recommend you start with a discipleship strategy. That’s because we believe spiritual growth should be the lens through which we see everything else we do in our ministries.
We believe there are four spiritual habits that help kids and teenagers (and adults, too) grow closer to God. These four habits aren’t anything new. They’ve been talked about countless ways, by countless numbers of people. Your church is probably already talking about them in your own unique way, so feel free to change the language to fit your context if you need to. The words aren’t important, but here’s what is: if these four spiritual habits are what help us grow closer to God, we need a strategy to help kids, teenagers, and groups engage in these four spiritual habits on a regular basis, year after year.
Here they are . . .
Spend Time With Others
Engaging in healthy community can, and should, be a spiritual habit we help kids, students, and those in our small groups develop. This spiritual habit is about growing in Christlike relationships with everyone in their circles — neighbors, family members, friends, and their church community. To help them spend time with others and engage in healthy community, you might have fun together regularly, create consistent small groups that welcome both regular attendees and visitors, evaluate if your weekly program is visitor-friendly, and plan strategic relationship-building events each year.
In the fall, we focus on developing the spiritual habit of Christlike community when kids and teenagers are beginning a new school year, and people are getting plugged into new small groups. This is the perfect time for new friendships to be formed, and a great opportunity to have one adult connect with kids and teenagers within children’s and students ministries.
Here are some topics we discuss that encourage kids, teenagers, and small groups to spend time with others:
- Spiritual Growth
- Friendship
- Wisdom
- Psalms
- Prophets
- Daniel
Wondering how to get them to practically apply this spiritual habit? Check out some of our favorite discipleship activities this time of year:
- Move Up Day is perfect for your next gen ministry. It’s a day to celebrate the kids and teenagers in your church that are moving up to the next grade or are transitioning out of kids or students ministries.
- Open House is an event you can host at church to showcase your kids and students ministry spaces for families to check out. This also provides an environment for ministry leaders and volunteers to meet parents and caregivers.
- Small Group Party Kits work for both students and small groups ministries. Prepare kits that range from everything needed for a movie night to items a group would need for a game night, and provide one for each small group leader.
- Grow’s Spiritual Habit Tracker App is free and available for anyone to use! Grow users will recognize the habits mentioned in the app from our teaching series year round, but everyone can make use of this new way to keep track of spiritual habits.
Use Your Gifts
Everyone needs to be reminded that God made them unique — with specific gifts, talents, and passions. Then they need to learn how to use those gifts to love God, love others, and shape the world around them. To help others know and use their gifts, you might do a lesson (or series of lessons) about identity and serving others, train your volunteers to notice and identify kids and teenagers’ spiritual gifts, create opportunities for them to serve, give them opportunities to lead and be part of your greater church body, and find ways to showcase their individual gifts during your services.
In the winter, we focus on helping kids, students, and groups develop the spiritual habit of knowing and using their gifts to serve God and others. During the holiday season, there are lots of service opportunities available. Why not make the most of these moments by serving your community together while applying this spiritual habit with your group?
Here are some topics we discuss during the winter quarter:
- Loving Others
- Identity
- Esther
- Jesus’ Early Life & Ministry
So how can we mobilize kids, teenagers, and groups to use their gifts? Here are some of our favorite ways:
- Volunteer during holiday season with church members of all ages! Anyone from kids to small group ministries will enjoy spending time with your local community and making a lasting impact this holiday season.
- Spend time getting to know your community by supporting small businesses and promoting them. Try adding some local vendors to your next event, or promoting their business on social media.
- Start a donation drive for coats, hygiene essentials, or socks. This is the perfect time of year to support those in your community who may need help gaining access to these items for the winter.
- Volunteer Celebration is a way to thank your volunteers for all the ways they make church happen. This annual celebration is a fun way to end the calendar year, and prepare for the new year with refreshed volunteers who feel appreciated.
Spend Time With God
Sometimes, people who attend church learn a lot of facts about God and the Bible, but don’t always get to know God. One of the best ways to develop a faith practice that helps them grow is to learn how to memorize and engage with the Bible (even for the little ones who can’t yet read on their own), have conversations with God, and spend time in worship.
To help others spend time with God regularly, your church might offer Bibles of their own. For kids and teenagers, you may consider a translation they can easily understand (like a storybook Bible for kids or teen study Bible for students), teach them how to pray, and give them opportunities to worship on their own level, and encourage them to memorize Scripture.
In the spring, we go deep into the spiritual habit of spending time with God individually through personal spiritual disciplines, when Easter’s on the way and the unpredictability of school and the holidays will have leveled off into some stability for your ministry.
Here are some topics we discuss during this time of year:
- Justice
- Spiritual Growth
- Spiritual Habits
- Jesus’ Ministry
Looking for discipleship activities that will inspire others to spend time with God? Check these out:
- Easter Events can range from a community egg hunt to intimate brunches hosted by small group leaders. Celebrate Jesus’ life and resurrection as a church community by going beyond an Easter program the day of — it’s a great way to reach out to your greater community!
- Worship Nights that are age specific help cultivate intentional time with God as a community. A kids worship night can include a freeze dance party, a youth worship night can be a great opportunity for teens to bring a friend, and a family worship night brings everyone together.
- Journal Prompts are an effective way to get teens and adult small groups to set aside time to pray in a new way. Prayer is simply talking to God, and listening for God’s voice. For some in your community, journaling might be the best way to do just that!
- Spring Retreats give teens an opportunity to step away from their daily routine and spend time with God for a weekend. Consider using Grow’s Spring Retreat guide as you plan your own!
Share Your Story
Kids, teenagers, and small groups can learn how to talk about God by making faith a regular, everyday, go-to topic of conversation. When we talk about how God’s story shapes our story, we discover ways to better clarify and take ownership of our faith. To help others share their stories regularly, you might share your own story of how God has changed your life, invite kids, teenagers, small groups, and volunteers to share their stories, include a time of discussion in every teaching environment.
Prioritize consistent small groups that focus on sharing their stories so they have a safe place to share openly and create space for doubts or difficult questions. You can even teach specific techniques for sharing their stories.
In the summer, we focus on helping kids, students, and groups develop the spiritual habit of sharing their stories while they prepare for summer mission experiences, a new school year, and reset for the fall.
Here are some topics we discuss to help kids, teenagers, and groups dive into sharing their story:
- Doubt & Questions
- Jesus’ Parables
- Evangelism
- The Early Church
- Abraham & His Family
- Family
Some fun ways to share your story include:
- VBS, or Vacation Bible School, can be held over the weekend or through the week. When kids get together to learn about God’s story, they feel ready to share their own! Check out Grow’s FREE VBS for fun themes and ideas any church can pull off!
- Summer Camp provides teens with the chance to spend time with one another, and discover what they share in common with one another. This, along with hearing God’s story, will give them the tools they need to share their story with those around them.
- Mission Experiences aren’t just for your students ministry — consider a local or international mission experience as a church community. These trips provide people with the chance to listen to others’ stories and better understand God’s story for everyone. Grow has great Mission Experience guides to use as you plan yours.
- Water Games are a must for summer! The best part is, everyone can join in — kids and adults alike.
Our Grow Curriculum and Strategy can give you all of the resources and information you need to go about developing children’s and youth ministries. Let us help ease the burden as you focus on your passion to serve others through your ministry. Check out Grow curriculum to find more ways to help your ministry apply these four spiritual habits and more!
